b'Crissy Staley|BERRIEN COUNTYStarting a business is no easy feat, but thanks to Guardian Bank Entrepreneurship Academy, navigating a startup is a little easier.While developing the academy, Crissy Staley, executive director of fundraising at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, reached out to South Georgia Insider Podcast Guardian Bank for sponsorship.Regarded as a team effort, Staley says the idea for the academy came from a brainstorming session with Wiregrass Tech President Tina SG Insider Podcast with host Thressea H. Boyd Anderson K. Anderson and Guardian Bank representative Dr. Ronald In each episode, we will chat with business and civicM. Zaccari.leaders and community inuencers about whatsWiregrass Tech is focused on teaching people how to master a happening throughout South Georgia. skill, but for students who have their sights set on owning their own business one day, there was not an option in the curriculum to set Listen On: them on that path, Staley says. Wiregrass students, alumni, and southgeorgiainside.buzzsprout.com members of the public can participate in the academy, which is offered twice a year.I love everything about working at Wiregrass, she says. I especially love seeing our graduates working and succeeding Through support from the University of Georgia Small Businessin the communities we serve. To be a part of the team that is Development Center (SBDC), the academy includes six business- cultivating the present and future workforce for our community is related courses: Writing a business plan, money finance andan absolute honor. accounting, marketing, human resources, and strategic planning. Participants also receive one-on-one consulting from the SBDC. Staley, who grew up in a rodeo family and earned a scholarship to compete at the collegiate level, volunteers with the Exceptional Weve had a great response to the academy, Staley says. The fallRodeo for children with special needs in Berrien and Cook Michael Smith |LOWNDES COUNTY2020 session was held completely online, and we had our largest classcounties. With just a few participants, the annual event, which to date with more than 100 participants. Students from a wide varietystarted when Staley was in high school, has grown to nearly 100 When the COVID-19 pandemic started in March, Michael Smith, executive director of the Greaterof programs have completed the academy, including neuromuscular,special cowboys and cowgirls.cosmetology, automotive tech, welding, and culinary. Valdosta United Way, had been on the job less than a year and found himself navigating localStaley lives in Nashville, Georgia, with her husband, Eric, and nonprofits through an unprecedented global health crisis. Gaining support through businesses and industries in the region,son, Travis. She is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Georgia and a Staley works to raise the necessary funds for Wiregrass Techmember of the South Georgia Medical Center Berrien Campus Working with 20 partner agencies, Smith, who was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp to serve on theto provide scholarships, class resources, and apprenticeship Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism, has made tremendous strides in creating newAdvisory Board.opportunities. avenues to improve the quality of life for individuals and families in Lowndes, Berrien, Brooks, Echols, and Lanier counties. During the pandemic, Smith worked with corporate sponsors, civic organizations, and individual donors to raise approximately $90,000 for COVID disaster relief, including food distribution and utility payments. In addition to the COVID relief efforts, Smith led the Greater Valdosta United Way in surpassing this years 750,000 annual fundraising goal. An advocate for using a regional approach to bring about change, Smith says, Success is aboutAre you receiving the South relationships and trust and working together. Big problems cannot be solved alone or from oneGeorgia Insider?sector. I truly enjoy meeting new people from different backgrounds and life experiences. Everyone is essential and has value. Now more than ever, its essential to keep up with business and community news Accepted to the Leadership Georgia class of 2021, Smith is an active community volunteer and servesfrom the South Georgia region. on numerous boards, including the Lowndes County Tourism and Conference Authority, Leadership Lowndes, Wiregrass Foundation, and Valdosta State University Alumni Association. Smith is also anSign-up at sgamag.comactive member of the Valdosta Rotary Club and the Azalea City Civic Club.28 SG MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 BUSINESS + CULTURE 29'